Readings: コク (Onyomi), たに (Kunyomi)
Meaning: valley
A pictograph of a valley, depicting the opening in the middle with the two sides representing the valley walls.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 谷 (tani) has 7 strokes. It begins with the two horizontal strokes at the top, followed by the central vertical stroke. Next, draw the two outer vertical strokes, and finally, complete it with the two inner horizontal strokes. The structure visually represents a valley with an opening in the middle.
Kanji Details
| Radical | 谷 |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 7 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | 7 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- コク (Koku)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- たに (Tani)
Common Words Using 谷
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 渓谷 | けいこく | valley, gorge |
| 峡谷 | きょうこく | gorge, ravine |
| 空谷 | くうこく | empty valley (literary) |
| 幽谷 | ゆうこく | secluded valley, remote valley (literary) |
| 谷風 | こくふう | valley wind (less common onyomi reading) |
| 谷水 | こくすい | valley water (less common onyomi reading) |
| 谷音 | こくいん | valley echo (very rare/literary) |
| 深谷 | しんこく | deep valley (often in names or specific terms) |
| 鳴谷 | めいこく | echoing valley (literary/rare) |
| 山谷 | さんこく | mountains and valleys (can be read as さんこく) |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 谷 | たに | valley |
| 谷間 | たにま | ravine, glen, chasm, hollow |
| 谷底 | たにそこ | bottom of a valley |
| 谷川 | たにがわ | mountain stream, valley stream |
| 谷合 | たにあい | meeting of valleys, confluence of valleys |
| 谷戸 | やと | valley, depression (often in place names) |
| 谷口 | たにぐち | mouth of a valley (also a common surname) |
| 谷地 | やち | marshland in a valley, swamp |
| 谷道 | たにみち | valley path |
| 谷風 | たにかぜ | valley wind (common kunyomi reading) |
Example Sentences
Japanese: その谷は深い森に囲まれている。
Kana: そのたにはふかいもりにかこまれている。
Romaji: Sono tani wa fukai mori ni kakomarete iru.
English: That valley is surrounded by a deep forest.
Japanese: 谷底まで続く急な坂道だ。
Kana: たにそこまでつづくきゅうなさかみちだ。
Romaji: Tanisoko made tsuzuku kyū na sakamichi da.
English: It’s a steep slope that continues to the bottom of the valley.
Japanese: 彼らは美しい渓谷をハイキングした。
Kana: かれらはうつくしいけいこくをハイキングした。
Romaji: Karera wa utsukushii keikoku o haikingu shita.
English: They hiked through a beautiful gorge.
Japanese: 谷川のせせらぎが聞こえる。
Kana: たにがわせせらぎがきこえる。
Romaji: Tanigawa no seseragi ga kikoeru.
English: I can hear the murmuring of the valley stream.
Japanese: この谷間には小さな村がある。
Kana: このたにまにはちいさなむらがある。
Romaji: Kono tanima ni wa chiisana mura ga aru.
English: There is a small village in this valley.
Japanese: 風が谷間を吹き抜ける。
Kana: かぜがたにまをふきぬける。
Romaji: Kaze ga tanima o fukinukeru.
English: The wind blows through the valley.
Japanese: 谷底から見上げる空はとても狭い。
Kana: たにそこからみあげるそらはとてもせまい。
Romaji: Tanisoko kara miageru sora wa totemo semai.
English: The sky looked very narrow when looking up from the bottom of the valley.
Japanese: 彼は谷間を歩き続けた。
Kana: かれはたにまをあるきつづけた。
Romaji: Kare wa tanima o arukitsuzuketa.
English: He continued walking through the valley.
Japanese: その地域は深い谷と険しい山々に特徴づけられる。
Kana: そのちいきはふかいたにとけわしいやまやまにとくちょうづけられる。
Romaji: Sono chiiki wa fukai tani to kewashii yamayama ni tokuchōzukerareru.
English: That region is characterized by deep valleys and steep mountains.
Japanese: 谷を越えて、私たちは次の町に到着した。
Kana: たにをこえて、わたしたちはつぎのまちにとうちゃくした。
Romaji: Tani o koete, watashitachi wa tsugi no machi ni tōchaku shita.
English: Crossing the valley, we arrived at the next town.
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